What are 'full-time children'? Young adults in China are rejecting the rat race and getting paid by their parents to do chores while living at home

Fri, 07/28/2023 - 10:07

A man sitting in a wheelchair reading a newspaper accompanied by a young adult — Many Chinese young adults are opting to stay at home and get paid to care for their parents, rather than taking a traditional full-time job.
AFP/Getty Images

Some young adults in China are opting to work as "full-time children" in place of traditional careers.
Full-time children are often paid by their parents to run errands, clean, and prepare food.
High unemployment rates and China's 996 work culture have made career-climbing less attractive.

Entering adulthood has traditionally meant becoming independent, which often entailed moving away from your parents. In China, however, young people are turning this idea on its head and staying at home, working as "full-time children."